Corking-machine.



No. 797,246. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. H. 3. WILLIAMS. URKNG MACHINE.

APPLIOATIYON FILED 00T. e, 1904.

a sums-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. l5y 1905.

H. J'. WLMAMS. GORKING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED DGT. e, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 797,246. PATENTED AUG-.15, 1905. H. JVWILLIAMS. CORKING MAGHINE..

APPLIOATIoN FILED 00T. 6, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FlS

PATENT CFFICE.

HARRY ll.

Elpecication of Letters Patent.

Illatented Aug. 15, 190%.I

Application filed October 6, 19011. Serial No. 227,408.

To (all whom it may concern.:

lBe it known that l, HARRY J. Winnaars, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful llmprovement inCorking-li/lachines; and ll do hereby declare the following, when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, and the figures ofreference marked thereon, to bea full, clear, and eXact description ofthe same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification,and represent, in-M Figure jl., a perspective view of a corkingmachineconstructed in accordance-with my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinalsectional view ofthe same; Fig. 3, a similar view with the plungerdepressed; Fig. 11, a sectional view on the line a of Fig. 2; Fig'. 5, asectional view on the line c Z of Fig. 2; Fig. G, a sectional view onthe line of of Fig. e1; Fig. 7 a perspective view of thecork-contractor, detached; Fig'. 8, an under side view ofthe machine;Fig. 9, a sectional view on the line f/ 72. of Fig. 2; Fig. 10, a brokenside view showing a modified form of means for operating thebottle-gripping jaws; Fig. 11, a broken front view of the same; Fig. 12,an under side view of the machine provided with bottlegripping jawsmovable independent of the corking mechanism; Fig. 13. a side view ofthe same.

This invention relates to an improvement in corking-machines, andparticularly to that class of devices which are arranged for corking onebottle at a time and which provide means for holding a bottle,compressing the cork and forcing it into the neck of the bottle, theobject of the invention being a simple arrangement of parts wherebythese various operations may be conveniently and easily performed; andthe invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described, andparticularly recited in the claims.

ln carrying out my invention ll employ a housing 2, and a side or capplate 3, secured thereto. The housing is formed with a lug i to bearupon the upper surface of a board or table 5, and with a lug' 6,carrying a clamping-screw 7, by which the housing may be clamped to aboard or table. The lower wall S of the housing projects forward, andthe cap or plate has a similar wall 9, the two forming a pocket for thereception of a cork-contractor 10. This is formed from comparativelyheavy sheet or cast metal and is of substantially U shape with flaringends 11, which are seated against the outer edges 12 of the walls 8 and9, so as to be readily held thereby. The lower edges of the housing andcap have forwardly-projecting arms 122 with overlapping ends 14: 15 andwith longitudinal grooves 16 17 in their inner walls to receive andguide a slide 18, carrying a cork-presser 19 at its inner end, thispresser being adapted to enter between the flaring ends 11 of thecorkcontractor 10. The slide 18 is operated by a lever 20, which isconnected by a screw orpin '21 with one end of a link 22, which ispivoted at the outer end of the arms 13, whereby the turning of thelever moves the slide 18 in a straight line and permits of necessarypressure to be applied thereto. Vllithin the housing' is avertically-guided rack 23, meshing with a pinion Q4, mounted upon ashaft 25, which projects through the housing and to which anoperating-handle 26 is connected. From the rack 23 an arm Q7 projectsoutward, supporting a plunger 28, which by the movement of the rackpasses up and down through the contracted portion ofthe contractor 10.Turning upon the shaft 25 and fixed to or formed with the pinion 2/1 isa cam Q9, bearing upon ahead 30 at the top of a rod 31, which projectsdownward through the housing and on which is a spring 32, the tendencyof which is to force the head upward. Preferably this rod 31 at itslower end will carry a plate 33, having inclined cam-slots 34., whichreceive studs 35, projecting from two bottle-clamping jaws 36 37, whichat their outer ends are pivoted to the outer ends of the arms 13, itbeing understood that the jaws 36 37 are arranged in line with theplunger 28 and may be guided for transverse movement by shoulders 38,secured to or formed integral with the under 'face of the housing, thecam 29 and pinion 24 being so arranged that the head 30 will bereleased, whereby the cam-plate may be lifted by its spring 32, andthereby yieldingly close the bottle-holding jaws 36 37 before theplunger 28 is moved downward to any material extent.

ln operation the handle 26 is turned so as to raise the plunger Q8 toits highest point, at which time the cam-plate 233 is depressed so as topermit the bottle-holdingjaws to be opened. A cork is placed in thecontractor and the lever 2O turned, forcing the presser 19 into thecontractor and against a cork therein. Then the cork is su'l'licientlycompressed, the neck of the bottle is placed between the jaws 36 37 andthe handle 2G turned. The lirst movement of the handle releases the head30, allowing the cam-plate 33 to rise under the action of the spring 32,and thereby yieldingly hold the bottle in position. The continuedmovement of the handle 26 turns the pinion 24 and moves the rack 23downward, forcing the plunger 28 with it., the plunger 28 striking theupper end of the cork and forcing it into the neck of a bottle heldbeneath it. Thereturn movement of the handle raises the plunger 28, andthe completion of the return movement of the handle again depresses thehead 30 and releases the bottle, ready for a repetition of theoperation.

Instead of arranging the cam-plate 33 on the end of the rod 3l the lowerend of the rod 3l may be connected with a transversely-arrangedrock-shaft 39, mounted in trunnions 40, secured to the housing andproviding this shaft with cams 4l, having slots 4Q to receive the lugs35 and move in the same way as before described, or instead ofproviding' for moving the bottle-holding jaws through the operation ofthe handle 26 they may be arranged entirely independent thereof, as inFigs. l2 and 13 of the drawings, 48 indicating the bottle-clamping jaws,which are subl stantially the same as those shown in the precedingligures, except that instead of pivoting them at the outer ends of thearms I3 they are pivoted at their inner ends to the und er side of thehousing and preferably with a knuckle-joint 44, so that the movement ofone will move the other, and preferably a spring will be provided fornormally holding them in their open position. As herein shown, a wirespring 45 is arranged between the handles 46, although the spring may beotherwise arranged.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isi

l. A corking-machine comprising a housing, a. contractor carriedthereby, means for forcing a cork into said contractor, a vertiically-movable rack in said housing, a pinion meshing therewith formoving the same, a plunger carried by said rack and movable up and downthrough said contractor, a cam moved by said pinion, avertically-arranged rod beneath said cam and adapted to be compressedthereby, bottle gripping jaws arranged beneath said housing, andconnection between said rod and jaws, whereby the movement of said rodwill open or close said jaws, substantially as described.

2. A corking-machine comprising a housing, a contractor carried thereby,meansfor forcing a cork into said contractor, a vertically-movable rackin said housing, a plunger carried by said rack and adapted to be movedup and down through the contractor, a vertically-movable rod in saidhousing, an operating-handle connected with the pinion for moving saidrack and rod, said rod provided at its lower end with aslottedcam-plate, and bottle-gripping jaws pivotally connected with saidhousing and having forwardly-extending studs engaging with said platewhereby by the movement of said plate said jaws are opened or closed,substantially as described.

3. A corking-machine comprising a housing, acontractor carried therebyand consisting of a strip of metal bent into U shape and I havingflaring ends, said housing provided with forwardly-extending arms, ablock sliding between said arms and carrying a corkpresser adapted to bemoved between the ends of said contractor, a lever connected directlywith said slide and through a link with the I outer end of said arms,substantially as described. l' In testimony whereof I have signed thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY J. VILLIAMS.

IVitnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLn, CLARA L. W'EED.

